PDF24 Tools
Free online PDF tools paid for by ads, plus an offline Windows app
PDF24 Tools report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 18, 2026
Best for free everyday PDF jobs with no account
PDF24 Tools is a free web tool, plus PDF24 Creator, a Windows desktop app that does it all offline and adds a PDF printer. Merging, compressing, OCR, redacting: no limits, no account, and ads on the website pay for it. The one big catch is that it can't change the text already in a PDF.
Who PDF24 Tools is for
- Great if you need PDFs merged, compressed or OCR'd for free
- Handy when your office wants a free PDF printer on every Windows PC
- Good for businesses that need free software they're allowed to use at work
Who PDF24 Tools is not for
- Skip it if you need to change the text already in a PDF
- Too light for Mac users who want an offline app, as Creator is Windows only
- Not for you if ads on the page drive you mad, as that's how it's paid for
Why PDF24 Tools gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree for home and business use, with no limits, and ads on the website pay for it. Creator is a program anyone can download. That's a lot of tool for nothing, though bear in mind it can't rewrite existing text.
- AFree plan and trialEverything is free online and in Creator, with no artificial limits and no account. The only cost is the ads on its web pages.
- CFeaturesMerges, splits, compresses, converts, OCRs, signs, redacts and compares, plus a virtual PDF printer. Plenty. But the editor only adds text and shapes on top: changing existing text means converting to Word first, and that's the core job here.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record. Pick a tool in the browser and go, with no install or account. It's built to be simple.
- CPlatforms and integrationsThe web, plus Creator for Windows. Mac, Linux and phones get the browser only, and there are no integrations on record.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from PDF24's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/pdf24#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/pdf24.svg" alt="PDF24 Tools: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where PDF24 Tools stands among PDF editors
PDF24 Tools's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 13 of the 15 other PDF editors we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 14 of 15) and worst on features (C, above 0).
PDF24 Tools has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 PDF editors we grade, cut by the letter each got. PDF24 Tools’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 12 of 15, level with 3
- AFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 15, level with 1
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 15, level with 9
- BEase of useAbove 2 of 15, level with 11
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15, level with 3
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 13 PDF editors. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep PDF24 Tools, or make your own?
Keep it
PDF24 Tools is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 13 of the 15 other PDF editors we grade.
What you could not
- Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. PDF24 Tools’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is PDF24 Tools?
PDF24 Tools is a free set of web tools for merging, splitting, compressing, converting, signing, redacting and running OCR on PDFs, with PDF24 Creator, a Windows desktop app that does the same offline and adds a virtual PDF printer. Everything is free for private and business use without limits; the maker, Geek Software, pays for it with advertising on its web pages. Its editor adds text, images and drawings rather than changing existing text.
PDF24 Tools is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Anyone who needs common PDF jobs done for free with no account
- Windows offices that want a free PDF printer and offline tools
- Businesses allowed to use free software at work, which PDF24 permits
Worth knowing
- The online editor adds text and shapes but cannot change existing text; PDF24 suggests converting to Word for that.
- The offline app, PDF24 Creator, is for Windows only; on Mac, Linux and phones PDF24 works in the browser.
- The free web tools show advertising, which is how PDF24 says it pays for them.
- Online files are processed on PDF24's servers and removed after a short time; Creator keeps them on the computer.
Key features
- Merge, split and compress
- Combine, split, compress and web-optimize PDFs, and rotate, remove, extract or rearrange pages.
- Convert and OCR
- Converts files and images to and from PDF, saves web pages as PDFs and makes scanned PDFs searchable with OCR.
- Sign, protect and redact
- Sign PDFs, add or remove passwords, black out sensitive content, add watermarks and page numbers and compare two PDFs.
- Annotation-style editor
- Write on pages, insert images, shapes and arrows, draw freehand and add form fields; existing text is edited by converting to Word.
- PDF24 Creator offline
- A Windows app with all the tools working offline, so files stay on the computer, plus virtual PDF printers that turn any printable file into a PDF.
PDF24 Tools pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- All tools are free without restrictions or artificial limits, online and in PDF24 Creator, for private and business use; the web pages carry ads.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| PDF24 Tools | $0 | The online tools and the PDF24 Creator Windows app, free for private and business use, paid for by ads on the website. |
Read from tools.pdf24.org on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with PDF24 Tools before you buy.
PDF24 Tools alternatives
- PDF24 Tools vs iLovePDF
Free plan · from $5/mo
- PDF24 Tools vs Smallpdf
Free plan
- PDF24 Tools vs Sejda
Free plan · from $5 one-time
- PDF24 Tools vs PDF Candy
Free plan · from $4/mo
Common questions
Is PDF24 Tools free?
Yes. PDF24 Tools is free to use. All tools are free without restrictions or artificial limits, online and in PDF24 Creator, for private and business use; the web pages carry ads.
How much does PDF24 Tools cost?
PDF24 Tools lists one plan. PDF24 Tools: $0. Prices were read from tools.pdf24.org on Oct 18, 2026.
What platforms does PDF24 Tools work on?
PDF24 Tools is available on Web and Windows.
Does PDF24 Tools have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. PDF24 Tools is listed for Web and Windows.
Does PDF24 Tools have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. PDF24 Tools is listed for Web and Windows.
Is PDF24 Tools open source?
PDF24 Tools is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does PDF24 Tools work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes PDF24 Tools?
PDF24 Tools is made by Geek Software GmbH.
What are the alternatives to PDF24 Tools?
The closest alternatives to PDF24 Tools in our directory are PDFgear, iLovePDF, Smallpdf, Sejda and PDF Candy. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with PDF24 Tools.
How does PDF24 Tools compare with other PDF editors?
PDF24 Tools's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 13 of the 15 other PDF editors we grade, and level with 1. It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 14 of 15) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Is PDF24 Tools good value for money?
ToolGPA grades PDF24 Tools A for value for money. PDF24 Tools has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Could I make my own version of PDF24 Tools?
PDF24 Tools is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 13 of the 15 other PDF editors we grade. What you could not make: Editing the text inside a PDF without breaking its layout. A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 18, 2026.